Padmaavat opening day prediction: Mumbai witnesses a dull day at ticket windows

The film stars Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor in lead roles.

(Reporting by Rakesh Trivedi, Zee Media)

New Delhi: Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus Padmaavat has finally seen the light of the day. Well, the film is releasing on January 25, 2018, but several previews and 3D release bookings have started a day before for evening shows.

According to Zee Media sources, multiplexes in Mumbai where the film is up for screening has witnessed less than 50 percent booking for shows tonight till 3 pm.

Here's a list of some of the cinema halls where bookings have not crossed a 50 percent mark:

Inorbit Malad
Infinity Malad 
Growels Kandivali
Thakur Dahisar
Hub Goregaon,
Dynamix Juhu, 
Nirmal Lifestyles Mulund, Dreams Mall Bhandup, Carnival: Huma Kanurmarg, 
Gold Cinema, Santacruz
Korum Mall, Thane
Eternity Mall, Thane
Maxus Sakinaka
Cinemax Thane
Gold Cinema Thane
Market city Kurla
R City Ghatkopar
Cinemastar Thane
Miraj Vasai
Neelyog Ghatkopar
Cinemax Ghatkopar
Imax Wadala
Nakshatra Dadar
Miraj Nalasopara
Roxy cinema Charni Road
Tilak Cineplex Dombivali
Liberty Marine Lines
Carnival Kalyan
Sterling Fort
Ashok Multiplex - Ulhasnagar
Carnival - Ulhasnagar
Star Big Cinema - Ambarnath

Either the fear of protests and vandalism has affected the bookings for Padmaavat or viewers might throng the cinema halls on a weekend. The film by SLB has faced massive protests by Rajput outfit Shri Karni Sena members, who alleged that the director has distorted historical facts.

However, the filmmaker's fight to make his magnum opus Padmaavat reach the audience was backed by the apex court's decision of staying the ban on the screening in states of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The Supreme Court cleared the decks for the nationwide release of the film, observing that people must understand that orders of the top court have to be 'abided with'.

The film received a green signal from the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC). The film got a UA certificate without any cuts but has suggested that the director change the film's title to Padmaavat besides making four other modifications.

The period drama is based on the 16th-century epic poem Padmavat by Malik Muhammad Jayasi and that explains why the stress on the new title.

The film was earlier scheduled to hit the screens on December 1, 2017, but after facing major protests across the nation by fringe groups, its release date was pushed ahead for indefinite time.